Qi Yu and Si Qing exchanged glances.
After a moment of hesitation, both of them thought carefully. Finally, during the break to change clothes, they changed quickly and walked together in the direction indicated by the immortal maiden.
Along the way, Si Qing adjusted his belt and asked Qi Yu curiously, "Sister, who else do you think would look for us, and not want to reveal their name? Why are they being so mysterious? Could it be Senior Brother?"
"Senior Brother is busy with preparations for the Dragon Clan; he shouldn't have time to chat with us. Even if he had a special request, he wouldn't be this secretive," Qi Yu said, though a guess had already formed in her mind. When they reached the Yaochi Pond, she looked up and indeed saw a slightly hunched figure.
"Li Yu?" Si Qing's voice was laced with disgust.
Upon seeing the siblings approach, Li Yu's face showed a flicker of joy. However, when his gaze met Si Qing's disgusted eyes, he immediately cowered.
Si Qing blocked Qi Yu, as if even a glance from Li Yu would tarnish her. "You summoned us. What do you want?" He certainly didn't believe Li Yu had anything good to say.
"I... I just heard you ascended to the Nine Heavens. So, I wanted to see you," Li Yu's voice was timid. "I also wanted to give you a few words of advice, but my status prevents me from entering that place, so I had to ask you to come here."
Si Qing looked him up and down.
Li Yu's original appearance was one of cold nobility, vastly different from the gentle and refined demeanor of young Feng. But now, perhaps due to hardship, that cold nobility was gone. It had been replaced by a habitually bowed back and trousers clearly worn thin from frequent kneeling. He must have just been punished, as he dared not sit, appearing utterly humble.
Sensing Si Qing's scrutiny, Li Yu said with a faint, self-mocking tone, "I suppose this is my just deserts, isn't it?"
Si Qing snorted, "If you knew this day would come, why did you act that way? When you didn't take Sister seriously, when you wronged Sister and me, did you ever consider today?"
Li Yu remained silent. Since being demoted to a slave, his life had been difficult. Because Yu Zhen had been arrogant on the Nine Heavens in the past, he, as her former companion, was often beaten, insulted, and humiliated. Those minor immortals he once disdained could now look down on him, ordering him to kneel and kowtow, constantly calling him a slave. When he was beaten, people would often mock him. These humiliations had long since smoothed away his former sharp edges.
Yet, in this predicament, he still repeatedly dreamt of his days at the Beiyuan Sect. Every time he saw images of Qi Yu and Si Qing in the mortal realm, his heart filled with regret and longing. This longing intensified when he saw Ming Lou before.
Why, in the past, had he ever thought of sacrificing Qi Yu's life for Yu Zhen? He shouldn't have. If those things hadn't happened, if he had stepped forward to protect Qi Yu and Si Qing, if none of this had occurred, he could still hold them protectively in his arms now.
"If you have something important to say, hurry up. We won't be able to come here every time," Si Qing said, looking at Li Yu with no warmth in his eyes.
Qi Yu lost her patience waiting and went to admire the scenery nearby to calm herself.
Li Yu looked up at Si Qing before him, his voice low, "Alright. I just wanted to warn you. Yu Zhen has cultivated a new heart technique. You will be working with her on the Thirteenth Heaven, and you might be susceptible to her technique's influence, so don't look directly into her eyes."
"Also... Feng Mian is still in contact with Yu Zhen. I'm not entirely sure of the specifics of their relationship, but I know Feng Mian still has his eye on the Demon Lord position..."
"The current patriarch of the Qilin clan is my father, Huai An." Li Yu looked up at Si Qing, removed a scale from his body, and knelt on the ground, pleading, "Can you... can you let him come up to see me?" His tone was humble and cautious.
Si Qing looked at Li Yu kneeling at his feet, and the scale he held in his hands. He glanced at Qi Yu not far away. Seeing that she wasn't looking this way, a smile slowly curved his lips, and he said with cold mockery, "Is this a plea? Your attitude isn't sincere enough. Where's the kowtow? Do you think a few nice words will soften my heart?"
Li Yu looked at him incredulously, seemingly taken aback by Si Qing's drastic change in attitude. Si Qing grabbed his hair, his voice chillingly cold, "Whether it's Senior Brother, or Second Sister, Third Brother, Fourth Sister, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, or even me, we are all only gentle and courteous towards Sister because she likes gentlemen. In reality, do you think we, who have been lords and war gods for so many years, with blood on our hands, are truly good people?"
Li Yu's arms trembled.
"I really hate emotional appeals," Si Qing's unique draconic pupils narrowed into slits. "Stop provoking me. When I was a war god, I personally peeled the dragon scales and skin, dug out the inner core, and soaked the beast in the sea for seven days and nights, letting it die a slow, painful death before I retreated."
"So far, I don't want anyone to know about this side of me. Please stop playing the sympathy card and acting pitiful, alright?"
The coldness in Si Qing's eyes, the warning in his words, and the oppressive aura emanating from him made Li Yu tremble uncontrollably as he knelt on the ground. This was not ordinary pressure; it was killing intent.
"Let's go," Si Qing patted Li Yu's shoulder and then turned to leave.
Qi Yu had already stealthily picked several small flowers near the Yaochi Pond. Seeing Si Qing finally return, she approached him, "Si Qing, why were you talking for so long? Did he give you any reliable information? I really didn't have the patience to listen, so I slipped away over here."
"Oh, he did mention a few rather important pieces of information. I'll tell you later," Si Qing said, reaching out to take the small flowers and using his power to reattach them to the soil by the Yaochi Pond.
Qi Yu pouted, still trying to pick them stealthily, but Si Qing forcefully dragged her away.
"Sister, Sister, spare their lives! They won't look good if you pluck them all bare," Si Qing dragged Qi Yu away.
Qi Yu looked at the small flowers with teary eyes, waving her hands, "I want to dry them and make tea... I heard the immortal flowers from Yaochi taste especially good..."
"Let's go, let's go," Si Qing forcefully dragged her away.
Qi Yu cried QAQ.
Seeing her pitiful expression, Si Qing felt a pang of guilt. After much hesitation, he finally returned to the Yaochi Pond, plucked a few more of the small flowers he had just reattached, and casually stuffed them into Qi Yu's hand.
"Here, here, here. Take them and make tea. Drink to your heart's content! Are you satisfied? Hurry up and get in line, we're going to the Thirteenth Heaven."